History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 28

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 28

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One not familiar with the business would suppose that the whole stock of ice must be disposed of during the first suminer after it is cut; but, by some, who are thoroughly conversant with the work, it is claimed that, if a house be properly built and carefully fitted, the material of which the building is constructed will perish before the ice will melt.

for the last twenty-one years has had entire charge of this branch of the Company's work. To become con- vinced that Mr. Hazard is a methodical, competent super- intendent, it is only necessary to visit the works and wit- ness the perfect order in which everything is kept.

The wheelwright and blacksmith shop of David E. Felter is another important industry of the village. Here many ice carts for the Knickerbocker Company are man- ufactured, besides ice tools of different kinds, and a va- riety of other iron work which it is usual for such estab- lishments to turn out.

The post-office was established here during President Polk's administration, and Abram P. Stephens was ap- pointed postmaster. His successors have been L. E. Fitch, E. E. Conklin, A. T. Fitch, and Thomas Wood- cock, the present postmaster. The mail was at first brought from Tappan; afterwards it came up the river by boat; then it came by way of Nyack, and now it is brought by the West Shore Railroad.

There are in the village four hotels, two stores, and two meat markets. The hotel at the landing dates back to the time of the Revolutionary war.

POND METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The lot on which the church now stands was deeded by " Benedict Wells and Bridget, his wife, to the trus- tees " of this society, November 13th 1834.

The first trustees of the society were Jeremiah Wil- liamson, Garret Onderdonk and Benedict Wells. The old church was built in 1835, and gave place to the one now standing, about twenty-five years since.

Before a church was built, Methodist preachers held services in private houses, first among them being Rev. Richard Lansing, who was succeeded by Rev. George Windsor. The following are names of the preachers who have served this church: Revs. Richard Van Horn, George Hitchings, Benjamin Day, Charles Coy, Henry Bugle, who preached while the old church stood, and in the new one; Andrew Compton, Thomas H. Smith, George Griffiths, Gilbert S. Winans, Alexander Craig, George Simpson, William Stout, James Gordon, J. W. Young, and William Stout the second time. The present pastor is Rev. Charles F. Hull. The church enrolls about seventy meinbers.

The store-houses are not all there is to be seen, al- though they are the most imposing. There are numerous other buildings which appear small beside these, but in reality, are far from being diminutive. In these are ten engines and as many boilers, ranging from sixty to one hundred and twenty horse power. In one part of the yard is a large blacksmith's shop, in which all the iron repairing is done; in another a car shop, where the cars, which carry the ice over the hill to the river, are made. The Sabbath school was organized soon after the old church was built. It is now in charge of Superintendent William Rymer, and has an average attendance of be- tween sixty and seventy members. The tool houses (of which there are quite a number), situated in the most convenient places, contain everything that is used during the ice harvest. In them are found scrapers, plows, markers, planes, and other horse power implements by the score; chisels of various kinds, prongs, hooks, &c., KNICKERBOCKER FIRE COMPANY. by the hundred. Everything is well cared for and kept The Knickerbocker Fire Engine Company, of Rock- ready for immediate use. Besides the stationary engines | land Lake, was organized May 25th 1861, with thirty- already mentioned, a small locomotive has just made its advent in the yard, and will be employed to move the cars

nine members and officers, The latter were: William Hoffman, foreman; J. L. Conklin, assistant foreman;

CLARKSTOWN-SCHOOL, AT ROCKLAND LAKE.

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Thomas H. Woodcock, secretary; Henry Brinkerhoff, treasurer.

Since that time the following have served as foremen: Thomas H. Woodcock, T. A. Van Wart, James W. Ack- erson, Abram Felter, T. B. Tremper, A. C. Collyer, Wil- liam Hoffman, C. L. Snedeker.

At this writing the company has forty-seven members on its roll, of whom the following are officers: J. W. Ackerson, foreman; A. M. Kemp, assistant foreman; Thomas H. Woodcock, treasurer; William D. Atchison, secretary.

PUBLIC SCHOOL.

The following is a list of persons who have been teach- ers in this district: John H. Stevens, Mr. Miller, Robert About seventy years ago, Mr. John Smith, the father of Mrs. J. J. Felter, lived at or near the south side of Rockland Lake. He was the owner of a number of slaves, but at the time mentioned he set them all at liberty, and converted their old tenement house into a school and meeting house. It stood opposite to what is now know as the Serl, or Sorrel place, on the very edge D. Clement, H. C. Smith, James Medbury, Mr. Tupper, Miss Tupper, Julia Bird, Miss Bird, Alonzo Bardow, Michael Deeling, Mr. Oldfield, Mr. Horton, Elizabeth Christian, Mr. Campbell, Thomas Kennedy, Ida Ken- nedy, Mr. Scott, Mr. Smith, John P. Taylor, Washington Fullwood, Mr. Pratt, Isaac House, Mr. Bogert and wife, and George A. Bossard. Mr. John C. Heyn is the present of the water, and from the back windows of the school principal, and Miss Mary Christian assistant. Of these, house it is claimed that the boys not only could, but actu- ally did catch fish. After some years this school was dis- continued, and another established near where the Baptist chapel stands.

The first public school building in this village was erected in 1835. It is now used as a dwelling house and stands opposite the present school house. The site of the original building was given by a Mr. Wells; but it reverted, and is now in the possession of E. Eugene Conklin.

The building of the present school house was agitated for several years prior to 1850, by E. E. Conklin and L. F. Fitch, through whose efforts it was erected in the year last named, on a site given by John D. Ascough; and George M. Dennett, Thomas I. Wilcox, and E. E. Conk- lin were elected trustees for that year.

The first official record is dated October 13th 1853, and shows that at a meeting, at which one-third of the legal voters were present, it was " Resolved, That a free school be established in conformity to an Act to provide for the establishment of Union Free Schools, passed June 18th 1852." The following nine trustees were then elected: Peter Nichols, Moses G. Leonard, David Hanion, E. E. Conklin, Robert D. Clement, Asa Dennctt, James L. Conklin, Fletcher Teneyck, and David L. Gurnee. November 4th 1853, the by-laws for the government of the Board of Education were adopted. December 12th 1854, Leonard F. Fitch, John Fullwood, and William Onderdonk were elected trustees in place of three whose term expired, and resolutions were also passed condemn- ing the setting off of a portion of the district to an adjoining district. At an annual meeting held December 28th 1855, it was resolved to have but three trustees and Abram Meyer, William Onderdonk, and Abraham Gar- rison were elected as such. January 17th 1856, it was decided to abolish the Free School system from the Ist day of January, 1857. October 4th 1862, it was "Re- solved, 'That we have but one trustee." The next year

William Onderdonk was elected trustee, but declined to serve; in 1864, John P. Taylor was elected and served two years; in 1866 and 1867, Peter Nichols; in 1868 and 1869, H. C. Smith; in 1870, Isaac Gerver; in 1871, H. M. Reynolds: in 1873 and 1874, James W. Smith; in 1875-9, James W. Ackerson; in 1880, C. L. Snedeker; in 1881-3, H. F. Kerwein. October 8th 1867, it was de- cided to raise $550, by tax on the property of the dis- trict for educational purposes. William Onderdonk was elected as the first librarian in 1858; and the next year the library books were removed to the school house.

Robert D. Clement is father of Rev. E. Clement; Isaac House, now Rev. Isaac House, is pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church of Hoboken, and John H. Stevens is the present sheriff of the county.

Allusion has already been made to the establishment of a school near the Baptist chapel at the time the one at the lower part of the lake was discontinued. It is not positively known at what time the school was opened, but the deed of the site was dated March 19th 1812. In this old deed there are some peculiarities which show quite conclusively the condition of education in this section nearly three quarters of a century since, and from which a few extracts are given. The deed is made by Hercules Ryder, who, for a consideration of one dollar, conveys "to Daniel Brady, George Meyers and Samuel De Baun, trustees of the Union school house and to their successors for a place to build a schoolhouse, during such time they shall think proper to keep a house thereon, for the use of a schoolhouse only, all and Singular, the lot of land and premises situate laying and being in the town of Clarkstown "

Then follows the description, which is given in feet, as follows: "Beginning at the S. E. corner of the lot thence West along the public road 118.8 feet, thence North 82.5 feet, thence East 105.6 feet, thence South 82.5 feet, containing Thirty-four Perches."

"To have and to hold," &c., &c., " to the sole and only proper use, benefit, and behoof of the publick for a school during the time it shall be thought proper to keep school house on the premises aforesaid. Which house is at no time hereafter to be rented to the privit use of any family."

It was in the old house which stood on this property that Moses G. Leonard, who was first president of the Board of Education in Rockland Lake, and afterwards member of Congress from New York city, taught school about the year 1832.

The present house was built in 1861, and stands on the

C.V.A.

ROSE HERMITAGE. The Residence of GEORGE D. MACDOUG.ILL.

Located on the Haverstraw Road two miles from Nyack; commands a fine view of the western part of the county, including the valley of the Hackensack and the Ramapo Mountains.

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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

lot described above. The trustees are John Ryley, Har- vey E. Polhamus, and Peter De Baun. Miss Estella Demarest, of Nanuet, is the teacher.

A short distance west of Congers Station, at the meet- ing of the two roads, stands a small framed church, which was built by a body of people who separated from the Reformed Church at Clarksville and formed a dis- tinct organization in 1830. It is at present occupied by the Methodists.

Not far from the church, on the diagonally opposite corner, is the school house of District No. 3. The old house stood on the spot the church now occupies. The next building was erected about three hundred yards west of that, and stood until 1879, when the present house was built, on an acre lot obtained from Abram B. Conger. Miss Jennie Sullivan, of Haverstraw, is teach- er; Daniel Snediker and Herbert Conger are trustees.

Abram B. Snediker, father of Daniel, is a man 95 years of age, and undoubtedly the oldest person in the county. He was originally from Orangetown, where he kept the old "'76 House." In 1835 he built the Central Hotel, just north of the church above mentioned, and kept it until a short time before his son Daniel took it, which was about sixteen years ago.

UPPER NYACK.

This village, situated north of Nyack, and closely con- nected with it, is the only incorporated village in Clarks- town. It was included in Nyack until 1872, when, by the earnest efforts of a few energetic men, it became in- dependent of the latter. Mr. Garret Sarvent was chosen president at the time of its incorporation, and he has held that position ever since. The other first officers were: Charles A. Fellows, Peter Voorhis, William H. Jersey, trustees; William H. Kipp, collector; Daniel M. Clark, clerk; and James H. Blauvelt, treasurer. The present officers are: Garret Sarvent, president; William H. Jersey, Isaac V. Smith, and F. J. N. Tallman, trus- tees; Daniel Youmans, collector; Robert M. Dixon, clerk; and James H. Blauvelt, treasurer.

There are not many public buildings in the place, but among the private residences are some which are ele- garit and pleasantly situated.

PUBLIC SCHOOL.

The public school was undoubtedly established about forty years ago, as the first school meeting was held Au- gust roth 1844, and resulted in the election of Jacob Voorhis, George Green, and John T. Demarest, as trus- tees. A small addition has been made to the original school building, but it is still quite diminutive, and quite

FIRE COMPANY.

The Fire Engine Company, of Upper Nyack, was or- ganized in 1863, with a full roll, and it is still a large company for so small a place. The first foreman was G. W. Baker. Frank Colsey now holds that position, assisted by William Colsey. The company has thirty-five members.

WEST NYACK.

This is a small village, situated on the turnpike, west of Nyack proper. It has not the appearance of a sepa- rate village, but simply a westward extension of the place just mentioned. In this locality are a few small stores, a blacksmith's shop, and some other establishments of minor importance.

The toll gate was for many years in this village, oppo- site the residence of J. W. Baker; but a short time ago was removed to a point on the road some distance west of its first site.

BARDON'S STATION.

This small village or hamlet takes its name from John ·Bardon, who located here about thirty-five years ago. It is situated on the New City Branch of the New Jersey and New York Railroad, a little more than a mile north- east of Nanuet, and about one-third of a mile west from the old Dutch Reformed Church of Clarkstown. It con- sists of thirty-three families and one hundred and thirty- seven souls, nearly all of whom are Germans.

The place has but one store, of which H. Bardon is the proprietor. It is a substantial brick building, lo- cated near the railroad. It was established at about the time the railroad was built, and it contains the usual variety of merchandise in a country store. Mr. Bardon is also station agent, his place of business being used as a waiting room for passengers.

The only hotel is kept by Charles Ross.

John Bardon owns a distillery near the station, and H. Schultz a cider-mill. The remainder of the inhabitants are farmers, laborers, and mechanics, representing the industrious class of Germans, most of whom own the houses in which they live.

In this place has occurred a change exactly the reverse of the usual order of things, for here may be found a grove of fine forest trees, of vigorous growth and grace- ful form, where a little more than a century ago an old inhabitant is said to have had a vegetable garden.

THE DUTCH FACTORY.

A cotton factory was built, about 1812, near the west- unsuitable for the purpose for which it is used, and the ern boundary of Clarkstown. It acquired the name district has, after agitating the subject for sometime, nearly completed arrangements for the erection of a building which will in no way be a discredit to the vil- lage. The children are now under the careful instruc- tion of Miss Marcia J. Wagar. The board of trustees consists of Garret Sarvent, James Voorhis, and Robert Hart; Frank J. N. Tallman is district clerk. " Dutch Factory " because of its being built by a stock company consisting principally of farmers in the neigh- borhood, who were descendants of the original Dutch settlers of that part of the county. The stream upon which it was built has a fall so great that, within a dis- tance of about a mile, it has six mill dams across it. The factory was used exclusively for the manufacture of cot-

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CLARKSTOWN-THE DUTCH FACTORY.

ton yarn until it was destroyed by a fire, which occurred about 1820 or 1822. The property was then sold to a man by the name of Gerow, who utilized the water power for sawing lumber in a mill which he erected for that purpose. Gerow soon sold the mill to a Mr. Van Riper, who took down the saw mill and built in its place another cotton factory. In addition to yarn, coarse cotton blank- ets, similar to the woolen rose blankets of the present day, and used for the same purpose, were made. Candle wicking was also manufactured, and the waste therefrom was utilized in making cotton batts. This factory, like the other was destroyed by fire, about 1857. Mr. Van Riper again rebuilt it on an enlarged scale, and began the business of manufacturing mosquito netting and hat buck- ram. The business was so flourishing that some of his friends were anxious to join him in the enterprise. Ac- cordingly a stock company was formed under the name and title of the "Spring Valley Manufacturing Com- pany." This corporation continued the manufacture of the same kind of goods until the panic of 1873, when the mill was stopped on account of the prevalent depres- sion in business.

It remained idle for several years, the building going to decay, and the machinery rusting and becoming worth- less. In the meantime a judgment had been obtained against the company, under which the personal property was sold, but proving insufficient to satisfy said judgment, the real estate was also sold, and the property fell into the hands of Mrs. Ward, of New York city. Being un- able to sell it, she held the property in the same dilap- idated.condition for a number of years; but, in 1882, it was purchased by Mr. Heyenga, the present proprietor, who at once commenced renovating and improving it by putting up new buildings and remodeling others. He disposed of the old machinery and put in such as was suitable for carrying on his business-the manufacture of brier wood pipes. The settlement in the vicinity was always known by the same name as the factory itself. Since it came into the hands of the present owner several new houses have been erected, and the village, if such it may be called, bears a more promising aspect than it has had for many years.

But a short distance above this factory there is an- other, belonging to a fine estate situated just on the east- ern side of the village of Spring Valley, a portion of it being in the town of Ramapo. In the time of the war of 1812, this property was owned by Cornelius Blauvelt, and the water power was utilized by him for running a saw and grist mill. At what time he sold it, is uncertain, but it was used by the purchaser, James Eckerson, for the same purpose it had been before the change was made. In 1853 it came into the possession of I. R. Blau- velt, who used the mill for the manufacture of woolen yarn. After a number of years it was bought by J. C. Blauvelt, who, in a short time, sold it to the present owner, Aaron D. Blauvelt, by whom it is used as a feed mill.

Just below the "Dutch Factory " there is a charcoal mill, owned by James Smith, and another small mill which is not at this time occupied.

DISTRICT SCHOOL NO. 6.

The school house in District No. 6 is about two miles north of Nanuet. The original school building was erected prior to 1812, and probably in the last part of the last century. It then stood about one mile east of where it is now located. The next one was built in 1815 or 1816, " on the turn in the road near where the present one stands." This one did good service for more than forty years, when it was deemed advisable to have a change, and the district purchased of Isaac Blauvelt a half acre lot across the street from the last, and in July 1858 erected the building now in use, in which Charles T. Seaman, of Spring Valley, is the teacher.

Isaac Blanch, 78 years of age, is the oldest inhabitant of the district, and it is from him the facts connected with the district have been obtained.

Among the inhabitants of the district, past and present, may be mentioned Richard Blanch, Henry Stephens, Abram C. DeBaun, George Vanostrand, Andrew Mc- Caudles, James Van Orden, William Vanderbilt, Corne- lius Vanderbilt, Jacobus Vanderbilt, Luke Smith, Har- manus Tallman, Auri Smith, Peter Cole, James Serven, Auri Demarest, Isaac and Garret Vanderbilt, John D. Meyers, Martinus Hogenkamp, Johannes Blauvelt and his son, Judge John I. Blauvelt, Isaac I. Blauvelt, Ulrich and Abram Brower, Major John Smith, Abram Smith, Derick Vanhouten, Abram Blauvelt, Garret S. Smith, Daniel Tenure, Isaac Cole, Moses De Clark, Isaac Blanch, and Thomas I. Blanch, the father of Isaac.

THE GERMAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This church is located about midway between Nanuet and New City, a short distance west of the main road con- necting the two villages, The site was purchased by Henry Screver, May 8th 1860. This body was first in- corporated May 29th 1860, under the name of the " Dutch Evangelical Church," but in 1869 or 1879 it was changed to that given above. The first trustees were John Bardon, Herman Meyer, John F. Eichoff, and oth- ers. The elders of the church are John Bardon, John Ficke and John Eichoff; and the deacons are Clause Meyer, John F. Rottman, and Jacob F. Koch.

The following pastors have been in charge: Revs. Warrenberger, Bartholomaus Kruise, C. D. Rosenthal, George Loock, John U. Tschudi.

The Sabbath school was organized soon after the church was established, by Rev. Mr. Rosenthal, and it now numbers more than fifty pupils.

BURIAL GROUNDS.

When the future inhabitants of Clarkstown look upon the past, as probably they will, from a much higher so- cial, educational, and moral level than the present genera- tion views it, if there be any one thing more than another that will cause them regret and mortification, it will be the gross, almost total neglect with which their ancestors -those living to-day-have treated the final resting place of those who not only gave then birth, but who, through

I28

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

great toils and hardships, won for them the blessings of liberty and the glorious possibilities of a noble nation-a free land of happy homes.

The chief hindrance to the work of caring for these sacred spots is their great number and the distance which separates them. There are, at least, fifteen burial places within the limits of the town.

Oak Hill Cemetery is situated on the line between Clarkstown and Orangetown, west of the village of Ny- ack, and it was originally divided about equally between the two towns. A recent addition of about ten acres has been made to the part in Orangetown, so that the por- tion in that town is now nearly double that in Clarks- town. Although it was used for burial purposes as early as 1848, it was not incorporated under the above title until March 17th 1865. As it is spoken of at greater length in the history of Orangetown it is not necessary to say more here.

Probably the oldest, or next to the oldest, burial spot in Clarkstown is the one in the northwestern part, on property which was for a long time owned by the Jersey family. Here is a large field which was at one time con- sidered a sacred place; but now a portion is overgrown with brush, and some is, and for many years has been, under cultivation, and it is probable that the present owner does not know there is a grave on his farm. Two acres or more are still thickly covered with graves, most of which are marked only by rough slabs of ordinary blue field stones. A part of this ground was used in the time of slavery as the final resting place of slaves. Not many years ago the date 1703 or 1708 could be distin- guished on one of the stones. In a history of Rockland county, published in the City and Country during the year 1882, appears the following: "The old burying ground at Upper Nyack was started in about the year 1730 and the names of Snedeker, Smith, and Perry are most abundant. Many of the slabs of red sandstone that still mark the graves in the old burial place are so time- worn that the names are completely obliterated. Prob- ably the oldest grave stone is that which bears the fol- lowing inscription. C. K. D. May 5 x 1732. Another stone by the side of this reveals a partial inscription: A. K. M. 1755."

Two large red sandstone slabs cover the tombs of a Knapp and a Smith family. On one of them can be dis- tinguished the following: " Here lies the body of Benja- min Knapp sener, and departed this life August 16, 1772." On the other large slab is the following, with two or three names of others of the family underneath: "Here lies the body of Lambert Smith, Esq., who de- parted this live - 1764, age 52."

A few other of the crumbling stones give the following names of early inhabitants: "In memory of Mr. Philip Sarvent who died August A. D. 15, 1786, in the 65th year of his age." "In Memory of Henry Palmer who departed this life July 15, 1806, aged 65 years, 10 months and 26 days." "In memory of John L. Smith, Major who departed this life August 22, 1797 aged 53 years, 5 months and 6 days." "Here lies the body of James Palmer who died - 1775 aged 55 years.

At New City, a little east of the main road, near the Trotting Park, is another old grave yard, where, if one is willing to dig in the dirt and tear away the ivy, he will find some old diminutive head stones, on which he may be able to decipher the inscriptions, while on others it has become totally illegible. Below is what is legible on some of the oldest stones in the yard: "1733, M. C." "1734, L. C." As these stood side by side and have the last initial the same, probably they were members of the same family, as also these two: "M. G. 1763." "L. G. 1766."

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History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 28

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993